[quote="C.f.M."]Sorely lacking in fruit and vegetables...if you go this high sodium/carb packaged route, get some vitamins or something, too...[/quote].

Very true- By day 4 you can feel your body aching for vitamins. good solutions are V8 or nutritional drinks like Boost. Bomb in the mornings when you wake up hot and gross, down some liquid vitamins and start the day with some water and youll be a happy camper :)

karabrugger wrote:We're going totally freeze dried from backpacker's country and mountain house foods. You can get them at REI or campmor or any camping shop really. I just happen to already have them so that's what we're eating.

I've had a few of those and they taste really good. Kinda expensive though. I like the breakfast (egg) ones. That'd be pretty tough to keep fresh eggs from spoiling out there.

Eggs don't spoil easily at all! We brought them with us last year. Fresh eggs don't even have to be on ice. I didn't know this until I went to the UK a few years ago and noticed that the eggs in grocery stores are kept on shelves at room temp, usually by the bread. The shells have a protective coating that keeps them from spoiling.

Hard boiled is a different matter though. They need to be refrigerated.

"...but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant..." - Hunter S Thompson

Think historical. What did people eat in the desert before refrigeration?
Consider a middle-eastern-style "meze" platter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MezeAny decent middle eastern reestaurant should have a platter of falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, olives and pita bread.

Ugly Dougly wrote:Think historical. What did people eat in the desert before refrigeration?Consider a middle-eastern-style "meze" platter:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MezeAny decent middle eastern reestaurant should have a platter of falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, olives and pita bread.

I always see babaganoush and hummus refrigerated in stores. I bet they'd spoil pretty quick, but yeah, the base ingredients would last for a long time without refrigeration. It'd be kind of a pain to smash up chickpeas out there.

This is the company that makes the self-heating units for military MRE's. They realized that MRE's are great for young soldiers in combat who need lots and lots of calories, fat, sodium, whatever, but that civilians wanted the convenience of this type of meal. Thus, they started making these Heatermeals.

They've got 6 different ones, and on the website they only seem to sell them in 12 packs for $56. I'd like to try one, but not enough to buy a case of them.

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I like my coffee like I like my women: strong, earthy and full bodied!

Ugly Dougly wrote:Think historical. What did people eat in the desert before refrigeration?Consider a middle-eastern-style "meze" platter:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MezeAny decent middle eastern reestaurant should have a platter of falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, babaganoush, olives and pita bread.

I always see babaganoush and hummus refrigerated in stores. I bet they'd spoil pretty quick, but yeah, the base ingredients would last for a long time without refrigeration. It'd be kind of a pain to smash up chickpeas out there.

I'm not a big fan of the mashed eggplants, but dates and olives are standard desert fare.

Louise and I always bring Heatermeals with us. I wouldn't want to live off them for the entire event, but they're reasonably good and reasonably warm. We use them especially during dust storms when we need to eat and don't want to try starting up the camp stove to cook. See our page at
http://www.cieux.com/bm/quickMeals.htmlfor links to similar meals. We've tried some; I found one brand that gave me heartburn every time I ate one, so I recommend trying these things out before you get on the playa.

We use Heatermeals exactly for the reasons you stated: lower calories, lower sodium, etc. Real MREs have a whole day's worth in every meal. Maybe a week's worth. :->

Search basspro.com for Heatermeals; the sell them for seven buck each plus shipping. Google says Cabella's sells them individually for the same price. Look around on the Web and see if you can't find a store near you.

mudpuppy000 wrote:I always see babaganoush and hummus refrigerated in stores. I bet they'd spoil pretty quick, but yeah, the base ingredients would last for a long time without refrigeration. It'd be kind of a pain to smash up chickpeas out there.

I don't know about babaganoush, but I know I've seen hummus mix before. I've seen it in the bulk section in a health food store, in dry form. I think instructions are to just add water. Maybe hot water?
I think that's a great idea! Make what you want, when you want.

mudpuppy000 wrote:I always see babaganoush and hummus refrigerated in stores. I bet they'd spoil pretty quick, but yeah, the base ingredients would last for a long time without refrigeration. It'd be kind of a pain to smash up chickpeas out there.

I don't know about babaganoush, but I know I've seen hummus mix before. I've seen it in the bulk section in a health food store, in dry form. I think instructions are to just add water. Maybe hot water?I think that's a great idea! Make what you want, when you want.

I'm personally trying to stay away from processed foods and hydrogenated oils and preservatives.
My solution? A large propane RV fridge/freezer. I don't expect to need ice for anything but a cooler full of booze. But I'm also trying to stay away from beer, so I think I'll be packing alot of hard-A....so even less need for ice.

I don't bring perishable food. Canned, dry, foil pouches. The cooler is to hold the frozen water, that I drink as cold water during the week, and other beverages, I freeze what I can, and try to chill the canned drinks before I put them in the cooler. If I make something and have leftovers (dammit bill) I can put them in the coolers to last until the next meal. plural coolers? yes, I have two small coolers. One I wrap in reflectix and don't open until halfway through the week.

crackers, salmon in a pouch, chicken noodle soup (add sundried tomato, nori, furikake sprinkle, chili oil... but I just like it regular mainly) couscous (add salmon, veggies,) pasta box with canned veggies added, dry milk, olive oil, granola, canned fruit (nice chilled,) chips (salty snacks are good,) dried fruit, nuts (I make a big bowl of trail mix, and put it in small bags.. . grab and go) I collect my basics throughout the year as pantry earthquake stuff. Then I hit Trader Joes for treats before I go. I get things I've never tried, and bring them out as a shared adventure during the week, or take it to a pot luck sort of thing, or cocktail time. dry chili mango? lime chili cashews? dry chili pineapple? (o.k. I like chili) olives, pickles, pickled ginger... inari sushi (tofu pouches come in a can!) there's so much fun stuff, food as toys.

Phil has a good point about being able to have a decent meal if there is a long dust storm. I need a better plan for that... I ate trail mix for lunch and dinner a couple years ago, and it got old.

whole foods has a great bulk hummus mix, add water and olive oil. very creamy yummy

Yesterday I cleaned the 7day cooler (9 trips to BM) It's go into the garade sale.. This years cooler will be a 5gal. Iglo water/drink cooler wraped in a solor blanet.. I have found two containers that water frozen in can fit inside the cooler.. Leaving a little space for some fruit/veggies.. That and a 5gal colapsable jug and a 5gal shower bag should be enough water for me.. In the past I have had to pour water over the ice for cold drinking..

Having to rethink space due to gas prices.. 15 gallons of water is 125lb.

No tined food this year.. Premade and vac-packed/dryed.. It
s just a camping trip

* Here is the trick I use to keep bread edible for 5-6 days: buy it on the way--a few hours before entering BRC. I don't chill it, because I feel there is too much risk of it getting it wet--your mileage may vary. Open it at least once a day, and let it breath for a while (20-30 minutes, whatever) to get the moisture out. This goes against my real-world habits in a really big way & can feel pretty strange--it would normally be a great way to get immediately stale bread. However, it has worked for me every time, no less than 5 days of good bread, sometimes more. Still, however, I make sure to consume a lot of bread in the first few days especially, so that if it goes bad it's no big deal.

* Here is the trick I use to keep bread edible for 5-6 days: buy it on the way--a few hours before entering BRC. I don't chill it, because I feel there is too much risk of it getting it wet--your mileage may vary. Open it at least once a day, and let it breath for a while (20-30 minutes, whatever) to get the moisture out. This goes against my real-world habits in a really big way & can feel pretty strange--it would normally be a great way to get immediately stale bread. However, it has worked for me every time, no less than 5 days of good bread, sometimes more. Still, however, I make sure to consume a lot of bread in the first few days especially, so that if it goes bad it's no big deal.

Sav is a very cool customer. She has her situation down pat! I got a cot like her's this year, because she always looks so well rested. AND she always looks impossibly fresh. Seriously lady, you're awesome.

I always look well-rested??* You're being dangerously nice. Just what are you up to over there? Is it my devilled chicken you're after? (I can hardly blame you. It's the most seductive of the commercially available meat pastes.)

Savannah wrote:I always look well-rested??* You're being dangerously nice. Just what are you up to over there? Is it my devilled chicken you're after? (I can hardly blame you. It's the most seductive of the commercially available meat pastes.)

Is that sort of similar to pastrami being the most sensuous of lunch meats?

And, I thought about a cot, but I have a big air mattress instead. Then again, you can tape me to the wall upside down and I'll probably irritate you with my snoring. I'm like an 8-year-old in that I run around screaming and yelling until it's sleep time, then fal asleep mid-sentence.

"I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway."Jesus fuckhole, what the fuck was that?"Playa dust might be the cleanest, most corrosive filth you'll ever love," Savannah said.